By Mindy Ragan Wood
Staff Writer
An Okarche police officer who claims he returned from military duty to a hostile police chief says he will go back to work Feb. 1.
“That’s my intentions right now,” officer Charles Snyder said. “I got the city’s letter in the mail to report at 9 a.m. on Feb. 1 to talk to the chief (Forrest Smith) and (Town Administrator) Richard (Raupe).”
Last Monday, Snyder said he was “cussed out” for not answering phone calls or text messages, even though he explained to Chief Smith that he was on active duty at the time as an Army reservist and not working for Smith.
He also accused the city of demoting him when he learned that an officer, who was hired after Smith, had replaced him as second in command.
“Everyone thought I quit,” Snyder said Monday. “When they started hearing (Sergeant) Running with my bade number on the radio, they thought ‘what happened to Snyder?’ Some of the officers thought I quit. I wonder why that is.”
He is unsure of how he will be treated when he returns.
“My concerns are how I’m going to be treated and the anxiety of a hostile work place environment,” he said.
Snyder will not return to the department unprepared for that environment. He has retained the legal services of Irven Box, an Oklahoma City attorney who often accepts cases from law enforcement professionals.
If Snyder can prove that he was demoted due to serving his country, he could sue the city.
Town Administrator Richard Raupe was out of town last week but told the Okarche Warrior by phone that Snyder would be reinstated with the same rank and pay.
Raupe did not return a call for comment at press time Wednesday.
